Nokia opens mobile broadband security center in Berlin

Provides hands-on experience with Nokia's security portfolio, live demos of potential attacks and their prevention

Berlin, Germany - Nokia today opens the doors of its Nokia Security Center in Berlin - an advanced mobile broadband security complex that combines a research laboratory and demo center with conference facilities. The Center is a hub of leading expertise focused on creating robust telco security. Equipped with its own fully-operational 4G/LTE test network, the Center provides a platform for cooperating with mobile network operators, partners, governments and academic institutes to develop and share security know-how and expertise.

Heavy increase in security challenges

Security threats are growing as networks become all-IP and heterogeneous with LTE and small cells as well as move to the cloud. Challenges are compounded by the rising number of smartphones in use and because mobile networks and their users are increasingly targeted by criminals.

The number of mobile malware items recently reached two million unique samples, double that of just six months earlier. For the first time, mobile malware growth exceeded that of malware targeted at PCs. Threats to mobile networks include eavesdropping, web session hijacking, software backdoors and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. The Nokia Security Center will give an insight into this wide range of threats and help mobile operators protect their network infrastructure, services and users. Strong security attracts new customers, reduces churn and increases mobile operator revenues.

Nokia security expertise helps operators tackle threats

Nokia's in-depth expertise and experience combined with the Center's live network and facilities for comprehensive network testing from the core to the device will help tailor solutions for mobile operators. The full range of Nokia security solutions is implemented at the Nokia Security Center, including partner products from Check Point, F-Secure, Infoblox, Insta DefSec, Juniper Networks and Optenet.

Patrick Donegan, chief analyst, Heavy Reading, said: "As IP becomes all pervasive and as security threats become increasingly diverse and sophisticated, network operators can no longer rely on traditional security models. The new Nokia Security Center in Berlin is an important milestone in supporting operators as they seek to respond to the challenges of the new security landscape."

Marc Rouanne, executive vice president, Mobile Broadband, Nokia Networks, said: "The Nokia Security Center is the vital next stage in our strategy to make mobile broadband security a key differentiator for our company. Nokia is designing all its products with security built-in and is continuously expanding its security portfolio with our own developments as well as with qualified partner products. Our solutions improve the security of our digital society."

Did you know? 72% of all malware causes fraudulent premium SMS messages to be sent. Each of these generates around 10 US Dollars in immediate profit for the hacker.**

About Nokia Nokia invests in technologies important in a world where billions of devices are connected. We are focused on three businesses: network infrastructure software, hardware and services, which we offer through Nokia Networks; location intelligence, which we provide through HERE; and advanced technology development and licensing, which we pursue through Nokia Technologies. Each of these businesses is a leader in its respective field.

Nokia Networks is the world's specialist in mobile broadband. From the first ever call on GSM, to the first call on LTE, we operate at the forefront of each generation of mobile technology. Our global experts invent the new capabilities our customers need in their networks. We provide the world's most efficient mobile networks, the intelligence to maximize the value of those networks, and the services to make it all work seamlessly. http://networks.nokia.com/ // http://company.nokia.com

* Trend Micro, March 2014: "The combined amount of mobile malware and high-risk apps has reached two million unique samples. This happened within six months after the number previously reached 1 million. Not only that, this means that mobile malware has effectively outstripped PC malware in growth entirely - as the latter took 22 years to reach the same milestone that the former reached in half the time, according to statistics derived from AV-Test's Malware Repository."